Captured
by Gema-chan
Summary: 18th century: Haruka wishes nothing more than to take revenge on the man who destroyed her life and forced her to join in with a bunch of pirates. But when she abducts his daughter, things get out of control...
1. Chapter 1

**Captured**

Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru.

A/N: This is the first fanfiction I've ever written and I am not a native English speaker, so please don't expect too much. Anyway, I would appreciate to know what you think of this fic. So please R&R.

**Chapter 1**

„Michiru, if you are not careful you will fall over board!" a disapproving voice scolded behind her. Michiru sighed and turned towards the dark haired woman behind her. They had been on the ship for nearly two weeks now, but her companion was still feeling as seasick as she did on the first day. "Let's go back to our cabin, it's safer there." Michiru just rolled her eyes. That's all Betty wanted to do. Sit in their tiny cabin and wait for this voyage to be finally over. All Michiru wanted to do was to walk around on deck, feeling the wind play with her hair and listening to the sound of the waves crashing against their ship. She could completely lose herself in the sight of this endless green ocean. The sea could be so calm and yet it held so much power. She longed to just jump into the water and swim away like a fish, forgetting the purpose of this voyage, that dreaded event which would take place next month. These were her last few days of freedom, how could Betty expect her to spend them in that suffocating little room of theirs? Suddenly she felt a surge of irrational anger and a deep frown marred her beautiful face. Without saying a word she just walked away from the older woman. "Fine, do as you please. I am going to lie down." Her companion gave an exasperated sigh and marched off all the while fighting hard against her nausea.

Many sailors stopped doing their various tasks to watch the aquamarine haired beauty stroll across the deck. Even though a fair number of them enjoyed fantasizing about her, no one would ever have dared to even talk to her. After all, she was the daughter of Lord Kaioh, one of the most influential merchants in the East India Trading Company, and she was about to get married to the son of the governor of Jamaica. But it was still nice to have the beautiful sea goddess on board, even if it was only a visual distraction.

Michiru could feel several eyes following her progress across deck, but she didn't care. Let them stare their eyes out, she had bigger problems. While trying to ban any thoughts about the future, she now felt guilty for being so cold towards Betty. It wasn't Betty's fault that she was about to marry the biggest prick in the northern hemisphere. On the contrary, Betty had tried everything to cheer her up. She had even agreed to leave London and come to live with her in the colonies, although she hated being on a ship. '_And all I do is making her feel even worse.'_ Michiru scowled. Betty had always been a mixture of older sister and surrogate mother to her, while her own parents hardly ever had time for their only daughter. '_I will have to apologize to her later.'_

Michiru looked out on the sea, but she no longer enjoyed the sight. She knew she should have been grateful for the privileged life she led. After all there was so much poverty and suffering in the world. But she couldn't rejoice in her fortune. She felt empty, cold, drained from all emotions. She wasn't sad, she wasn't anything anymore. Anger seemed the only emotion she could still feel. '_Maybe that's why I am so irritated lately, because it's better than being just an empty shell. I function, but I don't live anymore.'_ She suddenly felt an urge to scream. She was suffocating, damn it, she needed air. '_Just scream…' _But that wouldn't have been appropriate…

***

Haruka Tenoh smiled triumphantly as she read the letter in her hands. The _Sea Empress _had left London and was expected to deliver her precious "cargo" at Port Royal in a couple of weeks. Haruka smirked. The ship might arrive at its destination, but as for its cargo… She had waited for this for a long time, many years in fact. But now she would finally have the chance to pay back the man who had destroyed her life. '_Revenge is so sweet…'_

"Captain Tenoh?" A young man entered her cabin. His long brown hair was braided and he had a boyish grin on his face that made him look younger than he was. His bright blue eyes always looked very innocent, a fact that let many people underestimate him, for in reality he was a ruthless fighter and also very cunning. His name was Tim and he was her first mate. "The crew are wondering how much longer we will stay on this island. Even though some of the local girls are great fun, most of our men are getting restless."

Haruka grinned at her first mate. "And what about you? Last time I heard you were having quite a lot of fun with that cute red haired kitten who kisses like a nymphomaniac. Don't tell me you are already bored?"

"Ah, Lydia, she's a sweet thing, but I need some more action. And why do women always have to become so needy? She is asking me to stay or at least come back again soon. Next thing will be children and marriage." Tim looked horrified at the mere prospect of such domesticity.

"Does she know you're a pirate?"

"Yes, that's the worst about it. She wants to turn me into an honest citizen of the British Empire. She thinks it would be so romantic, if Ichanged my wicked ways for the woman I supposedly love."

"Well, this is your lucky day then. We're leaving tomorrow."

Tim looked at his captain in surprise. There was a strange glimmer in her eyes and a cruel smile on her lips. She was still holding a letter in her hands.

"So I guess something has come up then." He looked at her expectantly.

Haruka's smile grew even more evil as she answered him: "Indeed. We are going to abduct the daughter of Lord Kaioh."

***

"Michiru, I think I am dying" Betty choked. Michiru looked down at the pale woman. The weather had been stormy for two days and Betty had been throwing up constantly. Michiru was starting to get really worried for her friend. "How can you bear this constant up and down" the older woman asked feebly. "This is the worst experience of my life. Why did I ever agree to set foot on this awful – " And once again retching noises filled the cabin.

Michiru longed to escape the small room, but she couldn't leave Betty in such a state. She didn't know why she herself had absolutely no trouble with the wild movements of the ship. She felt at home at sea. This was definitely her element. Unfortunately, it wasn't Betty's element at all… (More retching is heard).

Suddenly the floor jumped violently and Michiru was slammed into the wall. What was that? It seemed like the ship had just changed its course. Just as she was getting back on her feet, there was a deep bang and the floor shook. She could hear people shouting and feet were running on deck. "What do you think is happening?" Michiru asked her companion, a tight knot forming in her stomach. It was the first time she felt afraid on this ship. Betty opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment the door flew open.

"Miss Kaioh, you'd better hide." It was one of the officers. He was still quite young and he had a scared look in his pale face. He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her with him.

"Excuse-me, what do you think you are doing?" Michiru stopped him. "I demand an explanation of what is going on." She said in her most authoritative voice.

"There is no time for explanations. We are under attack. You have to hide!" He pulled her out of the cabin.

"Attack?!!"

"Pirates. Believe me, Miss Kaioh, you do not want to be found by them. I've heard the stories about young women captured by pirates. Being killed would have been more merciful than the fate that awaited them."

Michiru's face lost all color. "Wait!" she yelled. "What about Betty? She is too sick to move, but I can't just leave her. What if the pirates find her?"

"You have to think about your own safety first. Please, Miss Kaioh, follow me."

Michiru shook her head stubbornly. "I won't hide without her!"

"But – "

"Then help me to move her, don't just stand there!" Michiru run back to the cabin. "Hurry up!"

They had just gotten Betty in a sitting position, when they heard loud noises from the stairway to the deck. The officer jumped up and darted out of the cabin. Immediately she could hear the clashing of swords. Michiru pressed Betty's hand tightly. Never had she been so scared in her life. Her heart was beating hard against her chest. Suddenly she felt very sorry for having yelled at the young officer. He had only tried to help her. The fighting noise outside her door died down. The silence that followed was even worse. Betty and Michiru exchanged terrified glances. Who had won the fight?

The door was slammed open and their question was answered. Three uncouth men stood in the doorframe. They all looked as if they'd never had a bath in their entire life, one of them was covered with tattoos, one was missing several teeth and the third had an ugly scar on his cheek. They were heavily armed. The one with the scar whistled and grinned.

"Seems like we hit the jackpot, lads." The other two laughed at his words. The tattooed pirate pointed his sword directly at Michiru's throat. "You're Michiru Kaioh, eh?" Michiru's eyes widened. How did they know her name? "Of course that's her" the one with the tooth gap said. "Or how many women with aquamarine hair do you know?" He leered at her. "Now, Miss Kaioh, unless you want us to cut that pretty throat of yours, you will follow us without making any trouble. Understood?"

Michiru gulped and nodded. With shaking knees she started walking, feeling the cold iron of the pirate's sword brushing against her delicate skin. "Please don't hurt her" Betty pleaded, but the scarfaced one hit her viciously and she lost her consciousness. '_Betty… Please be okay.' _As they approached the stairs Michiru saw the crumbled form of the young officer lying in a pool of blood. '_I yelled at him just a few minutes ago…'_ Quickly she averted her eyes from the horrible sight.

The fighting on deck was already over. Most of the crew of the _Sea Empress_ had been tied up and were watching helplessly as the pirates emptied their ship of all valuables. Several lifeless bodies were lying on deck. Michiru tried not to look too closely. She didn't want to know who was dead and how they had died.

The pirates had tied their own ship to the _Sea Empress_ and built a bridge between them with a wooden board. They forced Michiru to climb on to the board and go to the other ship.

'"_I have heard stories about young women captured by pirates. Being killed would have been more merciful than the fate that had awaited them."'_

Panic filled Michiru's heart as she remembered the dead officer's words.

'_Weren't you the one complaining about not having any emotions earlier? Well, now you're feeling panic and also, you will probably never have to marry that pompous ass. See, that's what happens when you wish for things to be different. Well done, Michiru.'_

She argued with herself just to keep from breaking out in sobs. She was on the pirate ship now. It wasn't as big as the _Sea Empress_, but it was far more suitable for battle than the heavy trading vessel. The pirates seemed all busy with loading the stolen goods into their store-rooms.

Suddenly Michiru noticed a blonde man standing alone on the navigating bridge. His arms were folded and he was leaning lazily against the rail. Despite her panic Michiru was wondering who he was. Somehow he had an aristocratic air about him which didn't fit in with all those uncouth men on the ship. He seemed lost in thought and not at all interested in the commotion on board.

Meanwhile, Michiru's captors had dragged her to a stair that led to the inside of the ship. Just at that moment the blonde man suddenly looked at her. Cold teal eyes locked with scared blue eyes for a second. Then Michiru was forced down the stairs and locked into a small dark room.

A/N: Great, it's 5am and I have classes in four hours. I really hope someone reads this, because I already know I will get into trouble for having spent most of the night writing this. There is no way I will stay awake in school today. Anyway, wish me luck so I won't be killed by my teachers.

Oh, and I will try to update soon (unless I won't survive school today…).


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru.

**Chapter 2**

She was surrounded by darkness. She could only hear the creaking noises the ship made as it sailed the stormy waves. Michiru had lost all sense of time. She seemed stuck in a nightmare she wanted so desperately to wake up from.

'_What had happened to the others on the Sea Empress? Was Betty safe? What will my parents do when they hear about this disaster?'_

While those questions circled her mind, she tried hard to ignore the one question that was the most important one: '_What is going to happen to me?'_ Michiru had never been so scared in her entire life. She felt like she was falling into a dark abyss waiting to finally hit the bottom.

Again she remembered the final words her captors spoke before they locked her in. "Captain Tenoh will be delighted we got her so easily…" _Tenoh?_ She had heard that name before and if this was the same person, it didn't bode well for her.

***

_London, five months earlier:_

_Michiru stared at the half-empty plate in front of her. God, she was bored. Her father was home from one of his many travels abroad and her mother had just returned from visiting a friend in the countryside. However, Michiru's hopes of having her family to herself were shattered immediately when her mother informed her about their busy schedule for the next week. It would be dinner parties every day, after all, Lord and Lady Kaioh were important members of London's high society. Michiru sighed. She hated those dinners. The men were only talking about business and money, whereas the women engaged in mindless gossip. Their world seemed so small and narrow and people always behaved in such predictable ways._

"_Piracy?" One of her father's friends exclaimed suddenly. Michiru turned her head the top of the table where her father and some of his business associates were seated. This sounded like a topic that might actually be interesting._

"_The Company has had quite a lot of troubles with them lately. Especially the trade in the Caribbean has become rather affected by this plague." Her father stated irritated. _

"_Ah, Lord Kaioh, I really do not envy you. They say that the infamous Captain Tenoh has found pleasure in seeking out vessels that sail under your flag. You seem to have a dangerous enemy." _

"_Tenoh? Never heard his name. Who is he?" A balding magistrate asked._

_Lord Kaioh frowned. "No one knows much about that Tenoh fellow. But he has made a name for himself during the last few years. By now he must be one of the most feared pirates sailing the Spanish Sea. For some reason he seems to hold a grudge against me. Or maybe it's just because our company is very successful and I am rich. Anyway, I am looking forward to the day that bastard will hang from a noose. The Royal Navy is doing everything to catch the likes of him." _

_After that their conversation turned back to boring business talk and Michiru went back to staring at her plate hoping for the evening to be over soon._

***

Michiru felt parched. She didn't know how long she had been locked in this room, but it was probably more than a day. At first she was relieved that no one seemed to bother about her, but now her thirst was becoming unbearable. She was sick of sitting in the dark, left alone with her fears. Before she had time to think about the possible consequences of her action, she stood up and started banging her fist against the door.

"Shut up in there!" A rough voice yelled. Instead Michiru started to kick the door, making even more noise. "Alright, alright…" The door was unbolted and a fat bald pirate was facing her. "What'ya want?" He said peevishly.

"What I want is something to drink and to eat. And I am sick of sitting in the dark. Get me some light." Michiru glared haughtily at the man in front of her. She didn't know where she took the courage to talk like this, but it felt good, or at least better than trembling from fright. The pirate seemed at a loss for words and just stared open mouthed at her. As most of his teeth were rotting, this wasn't a pretty sight.

"Well don't just stand there gaping. Go get me some water!" His eyes widened in shock at being ordered around like that by his captive. After hesitating a moment, he wordlessly slammed the door shut. Michiru was once again in the dark by herself. Her fists were clenched and her whole body shook with sudden rage. Then the tension broke and she slid to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. _'Why is this happening to me?'_

It seemed like hours later when the door opened again. The fat pirate from before entered holding a tray in his hands. He set it down in front of her and she saw there was a jug of water, some bread and cheese and also a small oil lamp. The pirate looked at her peevishly and left again without saying a word. Michiru was speechless too. She didn't expect her outburst from before to have succeeded. Feeling slightly better, she started eating.

***

Haruka was sipping her wine not really tasting anything. Her appetite was gone and for some unfathomable reason she was feeling miserable. Why wasn't she happy? She had waited for ages for an opportunity like that. And now that she had his daughter as her prisoner… Haruka remembered the young girl as they brought her aboard her ship. That moment their eyes met… She had looked so frightened.

'_Of course she looked frightened, you moron. Who wouldn't be in her situation?'_

Haruka was mad at herself for suddenly feeling so… weak. In fact, she hated having feelings in general. Life would be so much easier if she could rely solely on her reason instead of having to deal with her heart as well. What good had ever come of having feelings? It had only caused her a lot of pain and despair. And now she actually felt sorry for the girl. Whoever said revenge was sweet obviously didn't know what he was talking about. As for the girl, it wasn't her fault she had such a bastard for a father, but she would be the one to pay for it.

'_Life really sucks.'_

'_Oh, but in that case you can always set her free again. This is not cruel destiny, it's cruel you who is responsible for her current situation.' _A voice inside her head was mocking her.

Haruka's frown deepened. Yes, she could just set the girl free again, but at that moment the memory of her little brother lying feebly on the bed looking at her with sunken feverish eyes invaded her mind and all her pity was gone. She owed it to her family to take revenge on that bastard. And she would do anything to accomplish her goal, even if it meant sacrificing others.

'_He took away my entire family. Now I will take away his only child.'_

There was a knock on the door and one of the crew entered. "Captain?"

She glared angrily at him. "Pete! Didn't I order you to guard the captive?"

He bowed apologetically. "She has been yelling about food and drink and stuff…"

"So…?" Haruka asked coldly.

"Maybe I should get her some water?" Pete didn't dare to look the captain in the eye. She was obviously in a very bad mood and that usually bode ill for anyone who was foolish enough to disturb her.

For a moment Haruka seemed about to hit the roof, but then she forced herself to state calmly: "Do that. I need her to be alive… for a little bit longer."

After Pete had left (very relieved to get away from his angry captain), Haruka began furiously pacing her room. What the hell was the matter with her today? Was she getting soft now? A pair of pretty blue eyes and her usually very rational mind was gone.

'_This is just brilliant. Maybe I should invite her up here.'_

'_Why? So that you can enjoy her beautiful eyes and develop more compassion?'_ Haruka snorted at her own thoughts.

'_No, on the contrary. I am sure she must be a spoiled rich brat and a few minutes alone with her should be enough to quench every bit of pity. God, how I used to hate all those silly rich girls back then. And my mother actually wanted me to befriend them. Yes, they were great friends. After father died they didn't even want to be in the same room with us anymore. You'd have thought poverty was an infectious illness.'_

Haruka smiled bitterly. Yes, a few minutes with the Kaioh girl should be more than enough to get rid of all her sympathy for the other's situation.

***

Michiru was just falling asleep when the door opened again. "Get up! The captain wants to speak to you." The fat guy pulled her to her feet and motioned her to go outside. Another man was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, a drawn sword in his hand. "Don't try anything or you'll regret it." He looked a lot more dangerous than the fat pirate. Michiru nodded obediently and followed him up the stairs. Her heartbeat was quickening. So far nothing too bad had happened to her, but she didn't want to know why the captain wanted to see her.

As they walked across the deck to the captain's quarters, she gazed longingly at the sea. The wind had died down and the blue water was sparkling in the bright afternoon sun. She wished she could just jump into the waves and leave this horrible pirate ship behind her. Even if it meant she would eventually drown… But there was no hope for escape as the sword at her back reminded her.

They arrived at the stern of the ship and her captor knocked on a door beneath the bridge. Then he opened it and pushed Michiru hard, so that she fell on the floor inside. She heard the door behind her close again as he left without further ado. Silence engulfed her. From her position on the floor she could see a desk standing slightly to left in front of her. She could also see the two legs of the person seated behind that desk. That must be Captain Tenoh. Michiru felt paralyzed and suddenly she was too afraid to even look up. Why didn't he say something?

"I would offer you a chair, but you seem quite comfortable on the floor." A husky voice commented coldly. Michiru took all her courage and looked up. Her eyes widened as she saw the young man she had noticed the other day sitting casually at the desk. Short strands of sandy blonde hair were falling over his intense teal eyes. Michiru couldn't believe this was the infamous Captain Tenoh people had talked about. He was very young, in his early twenties maybe, and he looked way too refined to be a pirate. Everyone else she'd seen so far on this ship looked so uncouth, but Tenoh was simply just… beautiful. Michiru blushed. This was clearly not the time and place to harbor romantic thoughts, she scolded herself.

Tenoh saw her blush and chuckled. "Like what you see?" he said mockingly.

This was enough to bring Michiru back to reality. She stood up and clenched her fists. "Why did you capture me? How dare you do that to me?" She hissed at him.

Tenoh raised an eyebrow looking almost impressed at her guts to speak in such a challenging manner. "I had my reasons. You are Lord Kaioh's daughter."

"So that's why you did it. You want to blackmail my father into giving you money. That's despicable." Michiru spat, but a part of her mind felt relieved. If they wanted ransom money that meant she would probably be returned to her parents again, hopefully unscathed.

Tenoh however began laughing cruelly. "I don't give a shit about your daddy's money. I already stole a lot from him and I can keep doing that until he is financially ruined. I don't need you for that."

Michiru paled at the look of pure hatred marring the blonde's face. "Then what do you need me for?" she whispered.

"I mean to completely destroy your father. I will ruin him, take away his entire family and cause him as much pain as possible for a human being to endure. Kidnapping his daughter is just the beginning."

Michiru's blood froze in her veins. The most shocking part of this statement weren't even the words but the manner in which they were delivered. There was no hint of any sort of emotion in Tenoh's voice; he had stated this in a casual way as if he was merely talking about the weather. She knew that instant that it would be utterly useless to ask this man for mercy. One glance into his cold eyes and she was convinced he didn't have a heart.

"Why?" Her voice was barely audible.

"Because your father has destroyed many people's life in the past and I want him to know what it feels like to lose everything."

"W-W-What will you do to me?" A lump was forming in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes. This couldn't be happening. It must be a nightmare. _'Wake up, Michiru.'_ But she knew she was already awake.

"As long as were still on the ship I don't plan to do anything to you, but once we're off…" Suddenly Tenoh sprang to his feet and stood right in front of her. "I think it's time for you to go back to your room. Greg! Accompany her back!" He glared angrily at her as the pirate from before stepped inside and grabbed her arm. As she was led back to her small room Michiru felt very confused. Why did he suddenly become so angry? And what would happen to her once they left the ship?

***

Haruka buried her face in her arms. What the hell was wrong with her? So the girl was a beauty, but there were lots of other beautiful girls in the world. _'She has spirit. I expected her to cry the whole time.'_ She hit the desk in frustration. _'Why isn't she more of a stupid spoiled brat?'_

Haruka had lived the life of a pirate for many years now. She had looted, pillaged and killed without hesitation. Life was cruel and only the strong would survive. She didn't believe in love and kindness anymore. That wasn't the way the world was run. And yet, when she thought about the fate she had planned for the aquamarine haired girl, she felt a very painful feeling in her heart. Suddenly she laughed bitterly. This clearly was the most unlucky time for her conscience to awaken.

A/N: So this was Chapter 2, hope you liked it.

Thanks a lot to the people who have reviewed the first chapter; I am glad you enjoyed it. As predicted I fell asleep during classes, but my merciful teacher decided not to kill me. Lucky me!

Please R&R.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Haruka and Michiru.

**Chapter 3**

Michiru gazed dreamily at the endless ocean as the setting sun was turning the waves golden red. She wished she had an empty canvas and a paint brush at hand. She sighed deeply. Not being able to paint really wasn't the main problem here. Gloomily she turned away from the water and walked over to Pete.

Ten days had already passed since the attack on the _Sea Empress_. After meeting with the captain her days had become quite monotonous. The fat pirate named Pete had apparently been ordered to act as her personal prison guard. He brought her food three times a day and let her walk around the ship for an hour every afternoon. Michiru was glad she got to leave her tiny prison for a short while and catch some fresh air, even though it meant she had to endure the crews leering glances.

As for Pete, although he featured a constant scowl on his face, he wasn't that bad after all. Michiru suspected that beneath his rough exterior he spotted a rather soft heart. She knew it had been him who convinced Captain Tenoh to let her leave her room from time to time and for that she was quite grateful. Not that she ever showed it though. For some reason Pete didn't frighten her at all and therefore she often vented her frustration on him. Luckily, he didn't seem to mind, or at least he always took it very stoically.

"Pete?"

"Mh…" he acknowledged her.

"Where are we now?"

"On a ship…"

"Yes, thank you, I noticed that too. I meant what part of the Caribbean are we in now?"

"I am not the navigator of this ship." Pete said peevishly. "Although I overheard our first mate saying that we will anchor near some island tomorrow to renew some of our supplies. Apparently we're short of fresh water. As long as there is enough rum I really don't care though."

Michiru gulped. They would arrive at an island tomorrow. _'"As long as we're on the ship I don't plan to do anything to you, but once we're off…'"_ She remembered Tenoh's words clearly.

"Does that mean we will go ashore tomorrow?" she asked nervously.

"I am sure _you_ won't. And it's high time for you to go back downstairs. You've been on deck for nearly two hours now."

Michiru sighed as she shot one last glance at the ocean and the first stars appearing in the evening sky.

***

That night Michiru found it impossible to sleep. After tossing from side to side for a few hours she finally sat up and stared miserably into the dark. Not knowing what was in store for her drove her slowly mad. Locked into this tiny room waiting for something really bad to happen, but not knowing what exactly and when it would happen. It was unbearable.

The Captain was in her mind again. Those intense teal eyes had haunted her dreams ever since her meeting with him. For some unfathomable reason Michiru felt really intrigued with Tenoh. She should have hated him, after all he was the one responsible for her current situation, but instead she caught herself hoping to see him again. Every time she was allowed to go on deck she looked for him. Often he was on the navigation bridge talking to another young man who was from what she had gathered the first mate. Tenoh was fascinating her. He walked around with a very casual air, but at the same time radiated confidence and strength. He always seemed to be totally in control of his surroundings.

Michiru dropped her head. This was insane. She was developing a crush on her captor who obviously planned to do some horrible things to her. What was wrong with her?

And of course the most confusing thing was that she was interested in a _man_. This had never happened before. She had known about her preference for women for some years now. At the age of fourteen Betty had caught her kissing the daughter of their cook. Fortunately it hadn't been her mother who found them, but Betty nevertheless made sure that she wouldn't meet the other girl again.

At first Michiru had been furious with Betty, but then she forgave her knowing that Betty only wanted what she thought was best for Michiru. Her parents' marriage had been arranged and they didn't care for each other's company. As a result neither of them was around much and Michiru grew up feeling very lonely. Her dream had always been to marry for love and have children. That way she would finally have the family she always longed for. However, this wish would only come true by falling in love with a man. So Michiru tried, she tried very hard, but no matter what she did her feelings for the many male suitors she had never went further than feelings of friendship. She finally gave up trying after her parents forced her to accept the hand of the Jamaican governor's son. Her hopes to marry for love had been shattered anyway.

And now, when it didn't matter anymore she suddenly felt attracted to a man. And not just any man, a pirate who was completely heartless and cruel. It was just too much to cope with. Michiru buried her head in her arms. Why was this happening to her?

***

The next day they arrived at an island called Saint Kitts. There was quite a big town on this island, but of course a pirate ship could hardly sail into the harbor there. They anchored on the other side of the island where they had their dealings with some local smugglers. All day boats where heading to the shore where they sold many of their stolen goods, and brought back new supplies to the ship. Because everyone was very busy Michiru was only allowed on deck for a few minutes. When she saw the island so close by, her heart began beating faster. If only she could get away from the ship without anyone noticing, then she could swim the distance to the shore easily. But they were watching her too closely. Soon it was time to go back to her room.

***

"I am sick of this stale bread! I thought you had renewed your supplies today, but this tastes like it's from last year!" Michiru snapped at Pete when he brought her dinner that night.

Knowing she was so close to civilization and yet unable to escape the pirates made her very angry.

"Go get me something else!" With that she actually threw a piece of bread at Pete's head.

This was too much to bear for Pete. His normally calm demeanor vanished and he began yelling at Michiru angrily. For the last few days he had tried to be nice with this girl, feeling sorry for her. It had taken all his courage to ask the Captain to let her leave her prison from time to time and as a reward she threw food at him.

"Shut up or else I will never ever bring you any food again! You're our bloody captive not the guest of honor. Don't you dare ordering me around ever again!" he exclaimed with a red angry face.

Michiru wasn't impressed by his reaction. Still boiling with anger she took the jug of water and poured it over his head. Complete silence followed this action. Pete just gaped at her, a look of hurt in his eyes. Then he wordlessly turned around and slammed the door.

For a moment Michiru felt sorry for treating him like this, but then she realized something that made her forget everything else. She hadn't heard Pete bolt the door. Could he have forgotten it? Her heartbeat quickened. If the door wasn't bolted, she could leave the room. They were still anchoring next to the island. If she managed to leave the ship without being seen… Her hands trembled nervously as she gave the door a soft push. It opened.

***

The next few hours were hellish. Michiru knew she had to wait until night came; otherwise they would immediately spot her on deck. The minutes seemed to turn into hours as she sat on the floor listening carefully to the noise the crew made. She was terrified someone would come by and notice the unbolted door.

'_Maybe I should leave now. This is my only chance to escape. I can't wait anymore.'_

'_No! I have to wait. It's too early. They will catch me.'_

Michiru debated with herself, terrified of screwing up her only chance of escape. The noise on deck died down as it became late. With her heart hammering inside her chest Michiru slowly got to her feet. It was time.

She decided to take off her dress, because it would make swimming too difficult. She also disposed of her shoes, so she'd be able to walk without making any noise. Clad only in her white undergarment she slid out of her room. Everything was dark and no sign of Pete or anyone else was seen. Stealthily Michiru hurried up the stairs.

There were only two lamps burning on deck, one at the stern and one at the bow of the ship. There were two men standing near the bow facing the ocean. Michiru quickly ran to hide between some big barrels of rum that hadn't yet been carried to the store room below deck. She knew she couldn't just jump into the water, because they would hear that for sure. She had to find the ladder that led down the ship's side.

She saw a light in the window of Captain Tenoh's quarters. '_So he is still up. I wonder what he is doing.'_ Suddenly she felt an urge to go and look through his window. _'Have you totally lost it?' _she scolded herself. _'This is your one and only chance to escape and all you can think about is bloody Tenoh. Stop being foolish.'_

Just as she wanted to go look for the ladder, she heard footsteps coming her way. Her heart skipped a beat, only to then start beating even faster as it already had. The two men had left the bow of the ship and were walking straight towards her place of hiding. Michiru gulped. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to take her dress off. If they found her clothed only in undergarments… The men stopped right next to her. One of the barrels was opened and they filled their cups with rum.

"I hate standing guard. This day was really tiring, all I want is to lie down and get some sleep." One of them growled.

"The Captain is going to kill you if you sleep on your guard duty, so pull yourself together."

"Believe me, I have no intention to provoke the Captain's wrath. She's been pissed off all week."

"Yeah, you'd think she'd be happy the attack on the _Sea Empress_ went so smoothly."

"The other day she actually threw a canon ball at Greg. It fell on his foot. The poor bastard's been limping all day."

"Ah, it's a bad idea to provoke the Captain. But Greg was never smart when it came to that…"

Both walked back towards the bow again, laughing loudly at Greg's misfortune.

Michiru sat motionless. '_She?!!! The Captain is a she?!!'_ It would explain a lot. He… no, she... looked so different from the other pirates. And Michiru was attracted to…her. It made a lot more sense this way. She stared at the lightened window. She felt more intrigued than ever by Tenoh and for a second she felt sorry she wouldn't see … her… again.

'_Stop being foolish, Michiru. Man or woman, Tenoh is a dangerous pirate. It's time to leave for good…'_

Her resolve hardened. Making sure the two pirates weren't looking in her direction she approached the ray and looked down the side of the ship. There was the ladder. She quickly climbed it down and disappeared into the water.

Michiru had always been a good swimmer. As she was speeding through the waves her heart filled with joy. She was free. She really had escaped.

***

When she reached the shore her arms were hurting and she was exhausted. She had obviously underestimated the distance from the ship to the shore. Also, the tide had been very strong. But she couldn't rest yet. They might still find her. She needed to get to that town as quick as possible.

She had no idea where exactly this town was, but she soon found a path leading away from the shore and decided to follow it. The moon was almost full and shining brightly, otherwise Michiru would have been very scared to just march off into the dark. The path wasn't very smooth and she soon regretted having left her shoes behind. Something moved in the thicket to her left. _'It must be some animal'_ she thought and quickened her pace. In the water she had felt free, but now her fears were coming back. She wished it was daylight.

She passed a formation of rocks and stopped dead in her tracks. Two men were sitting next to the road where they had lighted a fire. They stared at her in surprise. Michiru suddenly remembered she was only wearing her undergarment. She didn't like the way they looked at her at all. One of them was rather short and wore an eye patch. The other was tall and very broad shouldered. Michiru didn't know what to do. Her instincts told her to run, but her feet seemed rooted to the ground.

The tall man got to his feet and approached her. Michiru turned and tried to run, but it was too late. He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her over to his companion.

The one with the eye patch had drawn his sword and looked suspiciously around.

"Where is the rest?"

"The r-rest?" Michiru stuttered.

"Were you meeting with your lover or why are you half naked? What are you doing here?" He pointed his sword at her.

Michiru's eyes widened. "I am looking for the town. Can you please just tell me how to get into town? Please, I don't mean to cause any trouble. Just… just let me continue walking."

The tall man laughed. "I don't think so, honey. See, it's not every day that we bump into a beautiful scarcely clad girl. Now, we wouldn't be real men if we didn't want to have some fun first before sending you on your way again, would we?"

Michiru struggled to free herself from his grasp, but he was much stronger than her. The one with the eye patch looked amused. "She's all yours, mate."

The tall one pushed Michiru to the ground. She could smell his foul breath as he threw his body on top of her. "No, please…" He pressed his lips on hers and forced his tongue into her mouth.

'_No! I can't let him do that to me… I can't… I have to fight!'_

In her desperation Michiru bit his tongue. He gave a muffled yell and jumped up. Next moment he was on her again, slapping her face hard.

"You bitch! You'll pay for that!" he slapped her again. Michiru raised her arms to protect her face from his blows, but he just got up and started kicking her frail body. She cried from the pain he was causing her.

'_I thought I had escaped. But this is even worse… Someone help me…please!'_

Just as she was about to lose consciousness, she suddenly heard a familiar husky voice.

"Unless you want me to shoot a bullet through your head, better step away from her." Haruka Tenoh stated calmly.

A/N: I am starting to regret that a lot of the plot takes place on a ship. I don't know anything about ships and nautical terms.

Anyway, this chapter was entirely in Michiru's POV. I promise there will be more Haruka in the next one.

Many thanks for the kind reviews I got so far. They have been very encouraging. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru.

**Chapter 4**

"I said step away from her" Haruka repeated calmly and pointed her pistol at the tall guy.

"What the hell – " The one with the eye patch froze as a second pistol was aimed at his chest. They both stood there gaping at the sudden appearance of the tall blonde, while Michiru was sobbing loudly.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right on spot" Haruka said in a dangerously low voice. The small one paled, but the taller guy had a red angry look on his face.

"Who the hell are you? Her lover?" He growled and clenched his fists ready to fight. His friend tried to hold him back, but he was faster and lunged himself at Haruka. A gunshot and a cry of pain were heard as he fell to the ground. Blood spilled from his left leg where Haruka had shot him.

"Take that piece of crap and get the hell out of my way." Her voice was ice cold now. The one with the eye patch gulped and helped his friend up. They had no more doubts about the seriousness of her threat. Leaning hard on the smaller man the injured guy limped away as quickly as possible. They disappeared in the bushes leaving a trail of blood behind.

Michiru was sobbing hysterically. Haruka just stared at her. When she had discovered that the young girl had escaped she had been really mad. But now she felt incapable of yelling at her. The girls face was horribly bruised and her sobs were simply just heartbreaking. Haruka sighed. Before she realized what she was doing, she was on her knees and took her into her arms.

"It's okay. They're gone." She whispered soothingly. Michiru put her head on her shoulder and continued to sob desperately. Haruka gently caressed her aquamarine hair. "Nothing happened. It's over now. Everything is okay."

***

The walk back to the beach was a blur for Michiru. Breathing was extremely difficult and with every step new pain shot through her bruised body. She was glad Haruka's strong arms were supporting her otherwise she wouldn't have made it far. Michiru knew that her flight had failed and that she probably was in a lot of trouble because of it, but at the moment she didn't have any energy left to worry. She just felt relieved that Haruka had saved her from the two rapists and despite the pirate's ultimate intentions concerning her fate, she suddenly felt very much protected by the other's presence.

She felt extremely dizzy and the pain grew worse with every minute. The last thing she remembered before she lost consciousness was arriving at the beach where three more pirates were waiting in a small boat to take her back to the ship.

***

"Call off the search. We found her." Haruka told her first mate Tim. "Oh, and tell Pete I am not going to kill him after all, but if he's ever that careless again…"

Tim laughed. "And what about the girl? Are you going to punish her?"

Haruka shrugged. "I haven't made up my mind yet."

"To tell you the truth, I am really impressed. To escape from right under your nose is quite a deed." Tim smirked as Haruka glared daggers at him. "You're not getting old Captain Tenoh, are you?"

"I got her back, didn't I? And unless you wish to become shark food, I advise you to shut up!" With that she stormed off barking orders at her crew.

"Oi, Captain!" Tim called after her. "What are we supposed to do with the girl? She's still passed out."

Haruka turned. "She can stay in my quarters. I won't sleep in my bed tonight. Neither will any of you. We're sailing at sunrise and there is still a lot to prepare. Move!" This was directed at the crew who looked rather mutinous at hearing that they wouldn't get any sleep tonight. However, Haruka's glare immediately quenched every thought of mutiny.

Tim shook his head. The Captain had never been easy, but lately she was becoming increasingly hot tempered. It had something to do with the Kaioh girl, but Tim didn't really understand what was going on in his captain's mind. In fact, he suspected that the Captain was probably clueless too.

***

They set sail at dawn. There was a strong breeze blowing and soon the island was reduced to a small dot on the horizon. Haruka had been on deck all the time overseeing the work of her crew while trying hard not to think of the beautiful girl lying in her bed. Needless to say, she failed pitifully. The events of last night kept replaying in her mind. She remembered taking the smaller girl into her arms, holding her tightly, stroking that gorgeous hair of hers…

'_Stop it Haruka! You're completely infatuated with her. You can't afford feeling like that.'_

But no matter how often she told herself that, it didn't help a bit. Finally she gave up and decided to get some rest. Not in her own bed of course, because that was already occupied and… Before she quite realized it, her feet had dragged her right into her bedroom where Michiru was sleeping soundly.

Haruka sat down on the window sill and observed the sleeping beauty. Even though her face was sporting several bruises, she still looked stunning. Haruka knew by now that this girl had a lot of spirit and yet she also seemed very fragile and delicate. Haruka didn't have the heart to hurt her. Ever since she had held Michiru in her arms she knew there was no way she would go through with her original plan. Never mind how much she hated the girl's father, she couldn't harm Michiru.

'_Well, maybe I don't have to do anything to her. Just as long as that bastard of a father she has believes the worst has happened, I get my revenge. I can make him suffer without making her suffer too much. I wonder if they are close.'_

Haruka smirked as a new plan formed in her mind. She just had to make sure the girl never got back to her father, which meant she would be staying with her and the other pirates. The thought of having the aquamarine haired goddess around for good was very appealing to Haruka.

'_I could make her my mistress…'_

A wicked grin spread over her face. Haruka was used to girls fawning over her, even after they discovered she was a woman. However, she felt that this particular girl would not be seduced easily. Her grin widened. Haruka loved a challenge.

***

Michiru woke up in the late afternoon. She blinked several times and looked around confusedly. She was lying in a comfortable bed in a room she had never seen before. What had happened? Images from the night before suddenly flooded her memory. She must be back on the pirate ship, even though she couldn't recall getting here. Had she passed out? And this room must be… She jumped up in shock as she realized she was in the Captain's bed. Sharp pain flashed through her body and she fell back on the pillows with a wince. Next moment the door opened.

"I see you're awake" Captain Tenoh smiled at her. "But don't move too much, you have a broken rip." Michiru quickly pulled the blanket over her body as she was still only wearing her undergarments.

Tenoh smirked at her action. "Believe me, you have nothing I haven't seen before. Although I must admit I have seldom enjoyed such a tempting sight as you are."

Michiru blushed furiously, which made Tenoh smirk even more. "Stop talking like that to me!" Michiru protested indignantly.

Tenoh's smile vanished and suddenly she looked very stern. "What the hell were you thinking running off like that? Did you really think you could escape me? If you weren't already beaten up so badly, I would make you pay dearly for that little escapade of yours." Her voice became low and threatening. "Don't ever do that again or you will be very sorry. Understood?"

Michiru gulped. "What difference does it make? You plan to hurt me anyway." She whispered sadly.

"Maybe I won't. If you promise never to do anything like last night again, I promise I won't hurt you. But if you break your promise, I will hunt you down and show you hell on earth." Her threatening voice became even lower as she locked eyes with Michiru. "Have I made myself understood?" Michiru nodded. What other choice did she have?

"Good. You can stay in here until you feel better. Then I will find you some occupation. You're staying with us for a long time; you might as well make yourself useful." Tenoh was grinning again. "Oh, I know, you can help Pete clean the deck. After all, it is mostly your fault I had to degrade him to a mere cabin-boy." And with those final words Haruka left the room chuckling quietly.

Michiru stared at the ceiling. She felt extremely relieved at Tenoh's words. Maybe things weren't that bad after all. At least she didn't have to fear for her life anymore. And she certainly wouldn't try to escape anymore. After what happened the other night she was sure she would never have the courage again to leave the ship. If Tenoh hadn't found her on time, she might have been raped cruelly. Michiru shuddered as she remembered that man forcing a kiss on her. _'She shot him without hesitating.'_

Michiru didn't know what to think of her captor and savior. On the one hand she had protected her from being raped; on the other hand she seemed capable of being very violent and was rather dangerous.

'_She must have killed many times. And she is still very young. How did she become a pirate feared in the entire Caribbean at her age? And why does she hate my father so much? What did he do to her?'_

Michiru sighed. She would try to get closer to Tenoh and find out why she wanted to take revenge on her father.

'_Oh please, Michiru. That's not the reason you want to get closer to her.'_

She shook her head at herself. When Tenoh took her into her arms and comforted her, it had felt so good. Michiru wanted nothing more than to feel those strong arms wrapped around her body again.

'_But this is wrong!'_

She suddenly remembered the attack on the _Sea Empress_. They had murdered the young officer who had tried to hide her from the pirates. She had seen other bodies too. They had hurt Betty… Even though Tenoh had not bothered to participate in the attack, it had been her who had ordered it. It was her who was responsible for these deaths. No matter how handsome she was and how she had protected Michiru against those brutes, she was still a murderer. Tenoh was a cruel person and it was wrong to have romantic feelings for someone this bad.

Michiru would accept her fate. She would stay with the pirates and try to make the best of it. But she would never ever allow herself to develop feelings for a criminal like Tenoh. Her conscience dictated her as much. 

***

All of Port Royal was bristling with excitement. It had been two days since the _Sea Empress_ had arrived in the harbor bearing the dreadful news that the Lord Kaioh's daughter and fiancée of the governor's son had been abducted by pirates. And not just any pirates, but no one else than the infamous Captain Tenoh and his crew were behind this crime. People on the street talked about nothing else.

"They say Tenoh has a special grudge against Lord Kaioh."

"Poor girl! She is probably dead already."

"Kaioh is such an arrogant bastard; I have no sympathy for him at all."

"But what about the poor girl?"

"Even if she comes back, there won't be a wedding, that's for sure. She is tainted goods now."

"Those bloody pirates really deserve to be hanged!"

Meanwhile Lord Kaioh was meeting with the Governor and several lieutenants of the Royal Navy. He had decided to put a price on Tenoh's head. This son of a bitch had ruined his family's reputation. Even though the governor had been very sympathetic and had assured him to do everything in his possibilities to save Michiru, it was quite clear that he no longer wanted his son to marry her. This marriage would have been very advantageous for Lord Kaioh and this alone made his blood boil. And of course, he was very worried for Michiru's well-being. He couldn't bear to think what these pirates might do to his only child.

"I am sure that the sum you put on Tenoh's head will soon help us to find the bastard." One of the lieutenants remarked. "People like that are pirate scum. They don't know any loyalty. For the right amount of money they would even sell their own grandmother. It is only a matter of time until one of Tenoh's so-called pirate friends will turn the bastard in."

"And we will try everything to hunt that son of a bitch down, sir. The entire Royal Navy is looking for him. He won't get far, I promise." Another lieutenant added. "Before the end of the month he will hang from a noose, I am sure."

Lord Kaioh nodded satisfied. He couldn't wait to see that man die. Again he wondered why this Tenoh had such a grudge against him. He once knew a man named Tenoh, but he had died long ago. Suicide… What a weak character. He had had a very sickly son, but if that one was still alive, he certainly did not have it in him to be a pirate. That whole family had been so weak. Lord Kaioh refused to feel guilty for what happened to them. The stronger survived. It was nature's law. And in case of this wretched pirate named Tenoh… Lord Kaioh was determined to crush him as well. He wouldn't rest until he could see that bastard dying a slow painful death at the hands of the hangman.

***

A/N: I started believing I would never finish this chapter; I had such a crazy week so far. I wish it was the weekend already.

Anyway, once again many thanks for your reviews. They cheered me up a lot.

Please R&R.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru

**Chapter 5**

"Pete?" No answer. Michiru rolled her eyes. "Stop sulking. How many times more do I have to apologize?" Still no answer.

They were in the bilge at the very bottom of the ship, pumping water out of the vessel. Michiru hated being down here. It was dark and damp and she began to feel claustrophobic. However, she wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her complain.

It had been over a week since her failed escape. Her rips were healing well, but she still felt very sore. She had been staying in the Captain's bedroom for the entire time, while Haruka slept in the adjoining office. This morning however, Haruka barged into the bedroom at the break of dawn telling her that the period of grace was over and that from now on she would be working with the rest of the crew. She then told her to go looking for Pete and help him out.

Ever since he let Michiru escape, Pete had been doing only the lowliest work on board. It was no surprise therefore that he felt rather wrathful towards Michiru. All morning he hadn't said one word more than necessary. Michiru had tried hard to get back into his good graces, but he stubbornly had ignored each and every of her attempts at conversation. Michiru began to feel very gloomy and disheartened.

"You know, I am the one who should be sulking. After all, it is me who was cruelly abducted and forced to live among criminals. You're being very unreasonable, Pete. I know you were kind to me, but you're still a pirate and you cannot expect me to have missed out on an opportunity to escape just so that you wouldn't get into trouble. As for the pouring water over your head incident… I apologize again. It wasn't a very lady-like thing to do, but I was really frustrated at the time."

Pete gave a grunt at her speech. Michiru looked up hopefully. It was the first time he had even acknowledged that he was at least listening. Quickly she moved closer.

"Look, despite the fact that you're a pirate, I think that you are actually a decent guy and I would like it if we could be friends. I promise not to take out my moods on you anymore. And it would make working down here so much more agreeable if we were on friendly terms." She held out her hand. "Please Pete, let's be friends."

He stared at her outstretched hand for a while, finally taking it with a sheepish smile. "All right, let's be friends."

***

The next day started very stormy. The waves were crashing with tremendous force against the ship and the winds tore at the sails, almost causing the masts to break. Haruka was standing at the wheel while her First Mate was shouting orders at the crew. She wasn't wearing a hat and her hair was tousled by the strong wind. She loved this kind of weather. It always made her feel alive. Haruka had an unmatched skill to foretell the weather. She knew a storm was brewing when others were still commenting on what a nice sunny day it was. She had always felt like the wind was her element. For years now she had let herself be guided by the winds sailing over the endless ocean. As for today, the strong gusts they met this morning were nothing compared with what was yet to come. Haruka felt that this was only the beginning of a huge tempest. She laughed out delightedly. She had weathered so many storms, that this was nothing to her.

"Come on, you can do better than that. Show me your true strength" she challenged the howling storm.

The first mate Tim looked at Haruka. She had a wild gleam in her eyes as she steadily held the wheel. This was one of the reasons they had made her their captain. The entire crew knew, as long as Haruka was behind the wheel, they had nothing to fear from this storm. Sometimes it seemed almost as if she had some sort of power over the winds, which was ridiculous of course.

***

Michiru was on deck enjoying the violent up and down of the ship as it danced on the stormy waves. No one paid her any attention as everyone was busy following the instructions of the Captain. Michiru placed herself in a corner where she wouldn't be in the way and watched the crew. She was astonished at the sudden display of discipline from the usually very chaotic pirates.

"What the hell are you doing on deck?" A familiar voice exclaimed behind her back.

Michiru turned and saw Haruka frowning at her. The blonde had apparently swapped places with the First Mate who was standing behind the wheel now. "I asked you something."

"Why shouldn't I be on deck?" Michiru answered with a tone of defiance in her voice.

"Why shouldn't you?!! Because there is a bloody storm going on. That's why!" Haruka snapped. "Go inside immediately."

"You could have said that in a polite voice too, you know?" Michiru's cheeks were flushed with anger and she glared at Haruka. "I am not afraid of a bit of stormy weather. Everyone else is on deck; I don't see why I can't."

"Because everyone else is an experienced seaman while you are a little princess who can't tell the difference between 'a bit of stormy weather' and a raging tempest." Haruka returned her glare with equal fierceness.

"Little princess?!!" Now Michiru was really indignant. "Just because I come from a wealthy family does not give you the right to make assumptions about me. This isn't the first time I am in a storm and I am telling you I'm fine on deck."

Haruka stepped closer, towering over Michiru. "Go… inside… NOW!"

Michiru's heart was beating fast. She knew she was probably getting herself into huge trouble, but she couldn't give in. Suddenly this wasn't about wishing to be outside anymore, but about defending her independence. She felt as if she might lose all her self-esteem if she backed down out of fear.

"No."

"No?" Haruka stared at her in disbelief. She was used to people following her orders without questioning. Even the hardiest pirates thought twice before disobeying her and now suddenly there was a young girl standing up to her like that.

"I am staying on deck and there is nothing you can do to change my decision." Michiru proudly stood her ground.

Haruka's eyes were dark with rage as she clenched her fists. For a moment Michiru was afraid the blonde was about to hit her, but then a truly evil grin spread over Haruka's face.

"Fine, you leave me no other choice." With those words she grabbed Michiru's upper legs and easily lifted her up. Ignoring Michiru's loud protest, she carried her like a bag of potatoes over her shoulder. As she strode across deck with Michiru struggling and kicking in vain, everyone stopped in their work for a moment to watch this very entertaining sight. Haruka deliberately slowed her pace to prolong Michiru's humiliation. When they finally reached Haruka's quarters, she had several bruises from Michiru's kicking feet, but she felt it was worth it. She put the struggling girl down in her bedroom.

"How dare you do that?" Michiru yelled at her.

Haruka smirked, feeling in control of the situation again. "Blame yourself. You shouldn't provoke me. I am the Captain of this ship and I expect my orders to be obeyed. Understood?"

"I am not one of your crew members and I don't feel obliged to obey you at all." Michiru spat.

"In that case I'd better lock you in. After all, you don't feel obliged to obey my order of staying in here, right?" With that Haruka left and locked the door, leaving a very angry and frustrated Michiru behind.

***

Her confrontation with Haruka had been in the morning and now it was already dark outside. Michiru had spent the entire day locked in the bedroom. The storm had become stronger and stronger reaching its peak in the afternoon. By then Michiru was rather scared they might shipwreck and even though she was too proud to admit it, she was really glad she didn't have to be on deck with the rest of the crew who were battling the raging ocean while rain poured down hard.

The sea finally calmed down towards the evening. Yet from what she could tell everyone was still very busy on deck repairing damages caused by the storm and pulling up the sails again. Michiru sighed. She hadn't eaten all day and she had a strong suspicion that they had completely forgotten about her.

'_Or maybe Tenoh just wants to punish me for not obeying her. That's more likely.'_

Michiru still felt rather wrathful towards Haruka, even though she knew the blonde had been right.

'_But she could have been more civil.'_

'_Ah, but you weren't exactly civil either now, were you?'_

Michiru waved away that last thought. Just at that moment the door was unlocked and Pete stuck his head in.

"Everything all right in here? I see you survived the storm. The captain wanted me to tell you she expects you to keep her company for dinner."

Michiru frowned. "No thanks. I am not hungry." Unfortunately her treacherous stomach chose exactly this moment to grumble loudly.

Pete grinned. "Sure you are. Dinner is in half an hour."

"Well, I might be hungry, but I am still not having dinner with _her_." Michiru said mustering as much dignity as she could. "You can tell the Captain that after today I'd rather go hungry than having to sit at the same table with her."

Pete shook his head. "I certainly won't say that. You've caused me enough trouble with the Captain as it is. If you want to anger her any further, do it on your own."

"Fine, I will. Unlike you and everybody else on this ship, I am not a coward and I am not going to bow down to the Captain."

Pete sighed. "You know, I don't think anyone would call you a coward, so you don't have to prove anything. And anyway, do you remember that speech you gave me yesterday? About how it's more agreeable to be on friendly terms? Well, maybe you should take your own advice and stop picking fights with people, most of all, for the sake of everyone, stop provoking the Captain. "

Michiru gave Pete an even glance. "Fine, I'll try to be nice. But only because you're a friend."

***

Dinner began rather awkwardly. Haruka didn't seem to be in a talking mood and Michiru was too proud to be the first one to break the silence. So they just ate, not even having eye contact.

However, after a while Haruka put down her fork and cleared her throat. "Are you still mad about this morning or is there another problem I am not aware of?"

Michiru met her gaze. "No, there is no problem. For some reason I had been under the illusion that I was dealing with a sophisticated person, which is why your behavior this morning was very disturbing. But then I remembered that you are nothing but a dirty, uncouth, demented pirate with no manners at all. So it was my mistake."

"Demented?!!" Haruka's eyes widened. "You really enjoy insulting others, don't you? Tell me, do they teach you that at finishing school?"

Michiru already had a biting answer on her tongue, when she remembered her promise to Pete. _'I'll try to be nice.'_

"I am sorry I said demented. I am sure you have a very charming personality and an extremely sharp mind." Michiru said in a sweet voice and batted her eye lashes.

'_Yeah, great job Michiru. This isn't being nice, this is being sarcastic. But why am I supposed to be nice to her? She isn't trying either.'_

Haruka meanwhile was gaping confusedly at Michiru. "Did you bump your head in the storm or what is going on now?"

"I was trying to be nice."

"If that's what you are like when you are nice, then I prefer you to be mean. It just seems a lot more natural" Haruka said.

"Does that mean you are giving me leave to insult you as much as I want?" Michiru asked eagerly.

Haruka burst out laughing. The effect this had on her face was mesmerizing. Her usually rather arrogant facial expression vanished and her eyes were sparkling with mirth. Michiru really liked the blonde's laughter. There was surprisingly much warmth in it.

"Why are you staring at me?" Haruka asked.

"This is the first time I've heard you laugh. I mean genuinely laugh, not smirking or chuckling cruelly. You should do it more often. It suits you." Michiru suddenly blushed.

Haruka looked taken aback. "Wow, this is also the first time I've heard you say something genuinely nice to me. You should do it more often. It suits you" she joked.

"Haha, very funny. Don't expect me to be nice again if you make fun of me." Michiru pouted.

"Sorry."

"And I am sorry too. I mean about this morning…" Michiru had to swallow all her pride in order to get the next sentence out. "You were right, it was too dangerous outside."

Haruka smiled warmly. "Apology accepted." Then she picked up her fork again and continued eating.

"Umh…"

"Yes?"

"This would be the moment where you apologized for carrying me like a bag of potatoes."

"Why?" Haruka asked while chewing on her food.

"Why? Because I just apologized for my mistakes and it would be decent to do the same."

Haruka grinned. "First of all, decency is not one of the qualities that make a great pirate. Second of all, I haven't done anything wrong, so no need to apologize."

"You carried me like – "

" – a bag of potatoes. Yes, I know. But you disobeyed my orders and as Captain of this ship I cannot tolerate insubordination. You are lucky you're not an official member of the crew, otherwise the consequences would have been much more severe."

Michiru glared at Haruka who just shook her head in mock desperation. "You know Kaioh, you're quite something. If you ever choose to come over to the dark side, I am sure you will make a great pirate. Think about it."

Michiru giggled. They had been drinking wine and she began to feel a bit dizzy. "No thank you. For one thing, most pirates don't seem to ever take a bath and I am not ready to make that sacrifice."

"Hey, I do wash" Haruka exclaimed indignantly.

"Yes, but you are the absolute exception on this ship. How can you bear to live among these soap and water shy people?"

Haruka chuckled. "Well, as Captain I have my own quarters. Before that it was rather difficult when I had to share their quarters. However, I'd like to think that the experience has made me a lot tougher." She winked at Michiru.

"How did you become Captain in the first place?" Michiru asked curiously.

"Oh, that's a long story. How are your rips by the way? Are they healing well?" Haruka quickly changed the topic.

"They are much better already. So, if I were a pirate, would you employ me in your crew?"

Haruka smiled. "Only if you promised to follow my orders and aim your vicious insults at the enemy instead of me. And of course, you'd have to prove your skill in a battle first. Have you ever used a sword?"

"No, but when I was small I once played with the kitchen knives. However, after almost cutting off my finger I was banished from the kitchen."

They both laughed. Michiru was surprised how good company the blonde made. Haruka couldn't believe Michiru had such an amiable side to her.

"That's no good. You need to practice sword fighting before I hire you."

"I never said I wanted to become a pirate. Although knowing how to handle a sword might be useful. It makes me a bit nervous being the only unarmed person on a ship full of outlaws."

Haruka suddenly got up and drew her sword. "Fine, I'll show you. Come on."

"What? I wasn't serious…" Michiru stuttered, but Haruka had already pulled her to her feet.

"Oh come on, Michiru. It'll be fun."

It was the first time Haruka had called her by her first name. Michiru loved the way her name sounded coming from Haruka's lips. She slowly took the sword into her right hand. It was a lot heavier than she expected. Unsure what to do, she looked over to where Haruka was standing. "Umh… What now?"

Haruka stepped behind her and put her hand over Michiru's hand that was holding the sword. Michiru suddenly felt goose bumps at Haruka's touch. "Now you fight." Haruka's low voice was whispering in her ear. Shivers ran up and down Michiru's spine. One of Haruka's hands was around her waist and with the other she guided her sword arm. Michiru felt mesmerized. She felt the warmth of the blonde's body behind her, breathed in her scent, heard her chuckle. Michiru closed her eyes and let herself be completely guided by Haruka. She felt so safe in those strong arms.

Michiru had no idea how long they had been practicing with the sword. For her time seemed to have stopped and all that still existed were Haruka's hands guiding her. Suddenly Haruka let go of her. The sword fell to the ground with a loud clang. Michiru turned around and locked eyes with the other woman. Haruka's beautiful teal eyes had an expression in them she had never seen. They were very soft, almost loving. Their faces were only a few inches apart now. Haruka gently pressed her lips on the smaller girl's lips. Michiru shut her eyes and leaned closer. Haruka pulled her arms around her and intensified the kiss. Michiru's hands wandered up to Haruka's neck and pulled her even closer. They were passionately kissing now. Then –

KNOCK KNOCK!

Their lips parted and Haruka cursed. Whoever was the blockhead who had the nerve to disturb her at this moment was about to die a very painful death. The door opened and Tim, the First Mate, entered.

"Captain, we have a problem. We have sighted a ship following us. It's hard to tell with only moonlight, but I believe it's a warship of the Royal Navy."

Haruka cursed again.

***

A/N: I am really relieved they got interrupted, because I don't feel very comfortable writing love scenes. Unfortunately Haruka insists on continuing kissing Michiru once this nuisance is dealt with. And if I won't let her… Well, to be killed by an angry pirate sounds a lot more uncomfortable than writing love scenes.

Hope you enjoyed the story so far. Please R&R.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Haruka and Michiru.

**Chapter 6**

Haruka dashed out of her cabin and made for the navigation bridge with Tim and Michiru following close. No doubt, a big war ship twice their size was clearly visible in the moonlight.

"Have they realized we're pirates yet?" Haruka asked.

"No, it's too dark for them to see that we're not showing any colors. But they have signaled us to meet with them. Obviously, denying that request will seem very suspicious."

"And if we meet, they will immediately realize we are not innocent merchants." Haruka cursed. "Well, we just have to get away as fast as possible then."

Tim frowned worriedly. "If they realize we're pirates, which they will once they see us running away, they'll attack. And we're no match for a war ship of that size."

Haruka grinned. "True, but I don't intend to let them come close enough to engage us in battle. No matter how many cannons they may have aboard, they have to catch us first."

She took a quick glance at the navigational charts which were always stored near the wheel. Once she made out their exact position, she took hold of the wheel and ordered the crew to prepare for a change of course to the southeast.

"We'd be faster going southwest." Tim told her with a frown.

"Yes, but so would they. One of our sails has been damaged during the storm. Unless they have damages too, we won't be able to outrun them in a conventional way. However, there is a group of small islands to the southeast. Passage between them is very difficult for big ships, so they usually take the long way around. As we're the smaller ship, we have a far better chance to make it through between them."

Tim turned pale. "If you're talking about the passage I think you're talking about, then you're obviously mad. Even in daylight it's extremely dangerous with all the rocks and shallows. But at night… I am telling you, Haruka, you will sink this bloody boat on some rocks, that's for sure!"

Haruka snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I know that passage well enough to sail it in the dark. It may be risky, but it's our only chance of escape. And to be honest, I'd rather drown in the sea than being hanged by some bloody redcoats. Now, would you be so kind as to make sure everyone is at their station? It would increase our chances to make it through safely a lot if you were doing your job instead of fretting over the possible outcome."

Tim glared at her for a moment, but then turned without further argument and began barking orders at the crew.

It was only then that Haruka noticed that Michiru had followed them onto the bridge. She was now standing at the rail biting her lip and staring at the other ship. For a moment Haruka's thoughts trailed back to the kiss they had shared only a few minutes ago. _'Curse the bloody Navy for interrupting us at that very moment!'_ Haruka wanted nothing more than to go back to her cabin with Michiru, take the other's dress off and… But this was obviously not the time to harbor thoughts like that and if she ever wanted to return to her cabin at all, then she'd better concentrate on the task ahead.

They had successfully changed course now and were sailing straight at the cluster of tiny islands nearby. Already Haruka could make out the shape of the closest one ahead of them. She looked back and saw the other ship having changed course too. They really meant business after all. "Bastards!" she growled.

"Beg your pardon?" Michiru turned around startled, thinking Haruka had spoken to her.

"I am talking to myself." Haruka told her grimly.

Michiru hesitated for a moment, then asked: "Do you want me to go inside?"

"No, this isn'tlike a storm. This time you're actually safer outside. If we really shipwreck, you can try swimming to one of the islands. After all, you already proved you're a better swimmer than anyone else on this ship." Haruka grinned, remembering Michiru's attempt at escape the previous week. "And now kindly shut up, I have to concentrate."

For a moment Michiru looked quite offended, but then she shrugged her shoulders and went back to staring at the pursuing naval ship.

They were very close to the islands when suddenly a loud boom and a splash was heard. Michiru shrieked. "Are they firing at us?"

Haruka laughed triumphantly. "Idiots! They have realized they won't be able pursue us any further once we disappear between the islands, and so they are trying to scare us into surrendering before. However, all they just proved is that we are too far away to be reached by their guns."

Michiru still looked worried. "But we could still shipwreck…"

Haruka frowned. "Well… that's a different problem… uh… Anyway, didn't I ask you to shut up?"

"Sorry… Captain…" Michiru chuckled. However, she immediately became serious again as they entered the small waterway between the first two islands. A strange silence fell over the entire ship. It felt as though everyone was holding their breath, terrified of making a noise, as if even the slightest sound might doom them all.

As Michiru looked into the black water she saw waves crashing against sharp-edged rocks. It was lucky for them that the moon was almost full and shone very brightly. Still, Michiru now understood very well why the first mate had been so appalled at the prospect of sailing this passage. She gulped hard. They might easily end up at the bottom of the ocean.

Just at that moment they heard a nasty sound and the ship trembled violently. They were obviously scratching over the surface of some rocks. Michiru grabbed the rail with her heart hammering hard in her chest.

"Pete! Greg! Go down to the bilge and check if we have a leak!" Haruka ordered.

"Aye aye, Cap'n!"

They continued slowly and when Pete and Greg reported that there was not much damage done, everyone felt relieved. However, they were not out of danger yet.

Michiru glanced back and saw no sign of their pursuers anymore. It was as Haruka had predicted. The larger ship did not dare to sail these waters and chose to take the long way around the islands.

Time must have stopped as minutes turned into hours. After what seemed like eternity they finally made it back into open water. A collective sigh of relief went through the crew. There was no sign of the Royal Navy. Now that they were out of danger, none of the hardy pirates would ever have admitted that he had been very scared just now. Instead they all made light of it, as jokes and cheers for the Captain were flying around. After the eerie silence they had just experienced everyone had a need for loud noise.

"We escaped!" Michiru cheered.

Haruka turned towards the smaller girl with a smirk on her face. "And why exactly are you so happy? Shouldn't you be on the navy's side? They might have rescued you from the clutches of us cruel pirates."

Michiru shook her head. "And they might have fired their guns at us and sunk the ship without ever knowing I was on it too. I'd rather be in your clutches than ripped apart by a cannon ball. And besides, I abhor violence and I am glad there was no battle."

Haruka smiled sadly. "You abhor violence? You'd be no good as a pirate then. But I guess that's a good thing. You're lucky, you know? Innocence once lost is lost forever…" Haruka murmured more to herself than to Michiru. After a moment's silence she shook her head energetically as if to get rid of disturbing thoughts.

She then went to address her crew. "Well done everybody. We escaped once again. However, we need to put some more miles between us and the Royal Navy, so I am afraid you cannot rest yet. I know it's been a tiring day, what with the storm and all, but unfortunately it is not over yet. I propose that half of you go to sleep for the next five hours and the other half will get tomorrow off, so you can sleep extra-long then." Some of the crew hung their heads dejectedly, but they all understood the need to keep moving. Tim quickly divided them into two groups, before the tired men could start quarrel over who would be in the first group and go to sleep.

"Tim!" Haruka called. "Go to sleep first. You can take over the wheel in five hours, okay?"

"Are you sure? I am not that tired yet." Tim said bravely, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

Haruka laughed. "Go to bed. That's an order." Tim saluted with a grin followed by another yawn and gladly took off.

Michiru on the other hand lingered on the bridge. "Aren't you tired?" Haruka asked.

"Not really. I didn't battle a storm like the rest of you today. All I did was lying around in bed after you locked me in. Would you mind if I stayed here for a bit longer?"

Haruka smiled warmly. "Actually, I would really appreciate some company. I am exhausted and having someone to talk to will prevent me from nodding off."

However, after that Haruka didn't say another word and Michiru was at a loss too. They suddenly felt very awkward in each other's company. As she remembered dinner and what happened afterwards, Michiru wondered what had come over her. Hadn't she sworn not to come too close to the pirate? _'You can't get much closer than we have just been. Although… There are other things we could have done…'_ Michiru was glad it was night and Haruka couldn't see her blushing.

The stars were shining brightly above them in the cloudless night sky. Nothing indicated anymore that only a few hours ago they had been battling a violent storm. As a child Michiru had always loved to sit on the window sill before going to bed and gaze at the stars. It gave her some comfort to see the same stars now even though she was far away from home. How strange it must be to be in a place where even the stars were entirely different.

"Haruka? Have you ever been to the far south?"

"You mean the southern hemisphere?"

"Yes, I read somewhere that you can't see the same stars there as we do here. Do you think that's true?"

"It is. I saw them once. However, they shine the same as those in the north. In the end, whether you go south or north, west or east, the world and its people are always the same. Sometimes they might look differently and seem to behave differently, but when you look closer, they are all the same. They eat, drink, sleep, fall in love, get upset, suffer, and finally die whether they want to or not."

"You're very jaded, do you know that?"

Haruka laughed. "I am telling the truth though. It's no good to romanticize life. You only get disappointed in the end." It sounded like a warning. _'A warning against what? Against falling for her?' _Michiru wondered. _'Ha! That's not going to happen.'_ But deep in her heart she knew that it had already happened.

They were silent again for a while until Michiru cleared her throat and asked rather timidly: "At dinner I asked you how you became a pirate. You never answered me though. Is it a secret?"

Haruka shook her head silently and sighed. After a while, when Michiru had already given up on receiving an answer, she finally opened her mouth.

"When I was twelve I worked as cabin boy on a merchant vessel. I needed a job and desperately wanted to get out of London. Don't ask me why, I don't want to talk about _that_. Anyway, I disguised as a boy and they hired me. Our ship was heading for the American colonies. Our first stop was to be Georgia and then we planned to sail up the coast to Virginia. I had heard many stories about people who became very rich once they immigrated to America and I dreamed of becoming one of them. Of course, a twelve-year old probably wouldn't have made it far, but never mind that. It didn't matter anyway, because we never reached the American main."

"What happened?" Michiru asked.

"We were attacked by pirates and I was taken aboard their ship. They planned to sell me to a… establishment… that caters to men with a special fondness for young boys, if you know what I mean."

Michiru gulped. Yes, she could imagine what Haruka meant.

"However, a few days later a terrible storm hit us. It was a full-sized hurricane, compared to which today's storm was only a slight breeze. They released the prisoners because they needed every hand on board. It was horrible. Several men went overboard, never to be seen again. In the end the wind became that fierce that it broke our main mast. That was a fearsome sight. The whole thing came crashing down, almost destroying the ship. The captain had been standing close to me and right where the mast came down. I didn't mean to help him, but I guess it was some kind of reflex. I pushed him out of the way and saved his life while injuring myself very badly. I wasn't hit by the mast itself, but by a loose beam, otherwise I'd be long dead."

Haruka's eyes were fixed on the main mast of the ship. Her face was a cold mask and Michiru had no idea what was going through the blonde's head. Haruka's voice was completely emotionless.

"The captain felt indebted to me and decided to adopt me. When they looked after my wounds, they discovered I was a girl, but it didn't matter. And so I stayed with them. They taught me to fight and to navigate a ship and I slowly became one of them. First time I killed a man I was thirteen. He haunted me in my nightmares for many months. But after a while I got used to killing. And when my surrogate father died a few years ago, they elected me as their new captain. Even though I am a female and still quite young, they know I am the best for the job."

Haruka suddenly grinned. "However, they prefer to let the world believe I am a guy, because apparently it is shameful to one's masculinity to be under command of a woman."

Michiru didn't smile. "How many people have you killed since your first time?" she asked fearfully.

"I stopped counting after a while." Haruka's eyes were empty as she said that. Michiru shivered. "Go to bed, Michiru. It's late." She said it almost gently, and yet, Michiru could detect a ring of steal in the blonde's voice. This was obviously not meant as a suggestion, but as an order.

"Goodnight Haruka" Michiru said sadly.

Back in the cabin Michiru curled up on the bed and began to cry silently. She suddenly felt unspeakably sad for Haruka. She always seemed so in control of everything, but Michiru knew now that this was only a façade behind which there was nothing but pain. What had she said earlier? _'Innocence once lost is lost forever…'_

***

A/N: Another chapter done! Yeah!

Thanks for all your kind reviews.

I originally had a completely different ending for this chapter planned (a much happier one), but then I suddenly got into a rather depressed mood and wrote this. Hope you still like it though.

Anyway, please R&R.


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